Clutch control



Aug. 29, 1939.

V. W. KLIESRATH CLUTCH CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 30, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR- MAZ [JPA V/cro/P ATTORNEY V. W. KLIESRATH Aug.2 9, 1939.

CLUTCH coNTRbL Original Filed Nov. 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Z we a mm we 0 m .m m .3 m V F M a. Q E 0 Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE omrron CONTROL Victor W. Kliesrath, South Bend, Indassignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporationof Delaware 1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to mechanism for operating the speedcontrols of anautomotive vehicle, and in particular to means forfacilitating the operation of said controls to the end that both aminimum of skill and a minimum of physical effort necessary in theoperation of said controls,

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide power means foroperating the clutch, said power means to be oontrolledby manuallyoperable pedals conveniently located adjacent the conventional brake andclutch pedals in the driving compartment of the vehicle. In a preferredembodiment, I use a miniature pedal or floor button for, in part,controlling the power clutch operating means, said pedal being placedimmediately t the left of the conventional clutch pedal and to beoperated by the left foot of the driver. Cooperating with such a clutchoperating pedal there is provided a conventional accelerator pedaloperable by the right foot of the driver, the same to control both theengine throttle and power means for operating the clutch. There are thusprovided two pedals, placed to the right and left ofthe conventionalbrake and clutch pedals and operable with a minimum of physical effortto control two of the major controls of the vehicle, namely, thethrottle and clutch. The conventional clutch pedal is preferably leftintact "in the driving compartment and is, of course, available in anemergency to operate the clutch, should the power means fail.

More specifically stated, the invention contemplates the provision ofmanually operable pedal means for selectively controlling the powermeans for operating the clutch, and to this end there is provided asupplemental pedal or button, operable by the left foot of the driverand operative as a stop to either cut in or cut out the acceleratorpedal operation of the ower means.

It is the primary object of the invention, however, toprovide powermeans for operating the clutch, including means operable preferably,though not necessarily, by a depression of the left foot of the driver,to effect an operation of the clutch.

Other objects of the invention and desirable details of constructionwill become apparent from the detailed description of the preferredembodiments of theinvention described in the specification to follow anddisclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the several speed controllingmechanism constituting the present invention;

Figure 2 discloses one form of manually operable means for controllingthe throttle and power means for operating the clutch;

Figure 3 discloses a modified formof the control means of Figure 2; 5Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the three-way control valvestructure of the clutch vacuum operated power means;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the clutch valve means, thesection being taken on 10 1ine55 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clutch operating poweractuator.

There is disclosed in Figure l of the drawings a diagrammatic View ofthe arrangement. of the 15 several speed controlling mechanismsconstituting the invention wherein there is provided conventional clutchand brake pedals It and I2, the latter being connected to the usualcross shaft 14 operably connected to front and rear brake 20 mechanisms,not shown, by links It and I8.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of thecontrol means for operatingthe clutch of the vehicle by powerwithrespect to the conventional brake and clutch pedals, and 25 to this endthere is provided a'miniature power controlling clutch operating pedal2%, operably connected by a link 22, shaft 24 and link 26 to thethrottle operating mechanism, to be described hereinafter. 30

To the clutch pedal IEI there is secured a connecting rod 28' of areciprocable piston 30 of a vacuum operated power actuator 32, disclosedin detail in Figure 6. The actuator is adapted to be energized orevacuated to disengage the clutch by 35 evacuating a left compartment 34thereof, the latter being in fluid transmitting communication with theintake manifold 36 of the internal-combustion engine by means of aconduit 38. A three-way control valve 45, disclosed in detail in 4Figure 4, is interposed in the conduit 38 and serves to alternatelyplace the left compartment 34 of the actuator in communication with themanifold and with the atmosphere to energize and deenergize the actuatorto effect the disengagement and engagement of the clutch. The controlvalve preferably comprises a casing member42; provided with manifold andactuator ports 44 and 46, respectively, and further comprises areciprocable valve plunger member 41 operably 50 connected to anaccelerator pedal 58 by means of a link 50, the latter connected to athrottle link 52. The link 52 is preferably connected to a throttlevalve 54 by means of a lost motion connection 56, the valve beingreturned to its closed 55 position by a spring 51. Such a constructionprovides for an operation of the control valve 40 before the throttle isopened and after the same is closed.

The valve piston 41 is provided with a reduced portion 58 tointercommunicate the manifold with the actuator when the acceleratorpedal is in its fully retracted position and the pedal 20 is depressed.With the valve in this position, the clutch is disengaged when theengine is idling to create a vacuum in the manifold. Air is evacuatedfrom the compartment 34 and atmosphere is admitted, via a check valve60, to move the piston 30 to the left to disengage the clutch.

When it is desired to reengage the clutch, the pedal 20 is released andthe accelerator depressed, thereby placing an atmospheric slot 62 in thevalve piston in communication with the actuator port 46 of the valve tovent the actuator to atmosphere and effect an engagement of the clutch.This engagement is accomplished in two distinct stages of movement ofthe actuator piston 36, the first stage, to bring the clutch plates intoengagement, being relatively rapid due to the efliux of air from a rightcompartment 64 of the actuator via a slot 66 in the piston rod 68. Whenthe slot 66 is covered by the end wall of the actuator, the second orclutch plate contacting stage of movement of the clutch pedal isinitiated, this movement being controlled by the rate of efiiux of airvia a bleed conduit terminating in a, controlled port 12, the rate ofefflux of air via said port 12 being determined by the depth of a slot14, Figure 5, in the plunger 41. Thus the position of the acceleratorpedal determines the rate of movement of the clutch pedal during theaforementioned second or clutch plate contacting stage of movement. Acut-out valve is provided to render the power mechanism inoperative, thesame comprising a piston member 15 provided with a recessed portion 18to intercommunicate the manifold and actuator and also operable, whenthe piston 76 is moved to the left, preferably by means of a Bowdencontrol 80 operable from the dash,

--to place an atmospheric slot 82 in the plunger in communication withthe actuator via actuator port 46 and conduit 38. Thus, when theoperator desires to render the power mechanism for operating the clutchinoperative, he moves the piston "76 to the left to permanently vent theclutch actuator.

From the above-described mechanism, it will be observed that the clutchis operated by vacuum operated power means, the clutch being disengagedby power with release of the accelerator pedal and depression of thepedal or button 20 and reengaged with depression of the acceleratorpedal and release of the pedal 20. The two pedals 20 and 48 accordinglyprovide means operable by the left and right feet of the driverrespectively, the same being conveniently positioned to the left andright of the conventional clutch and brake pedals l0 and I 2, saidpedals 20 and 48 completely controlling, with a minimum of physicaleffort on --the part of the operator, the clutch and throttle of thevehicle. Should the power mechanism for the clutch be renderedinoperative for any reason, the conventional clutch pedal may beoperated in the usual manner.

The foot operated pedal 48, cooperating with the throttle operatingmeans, is disclosed in detail in Figure 2. This structure preferablycomprises the crank 84 operably connected by interconnected links 22 and26 and shaft 24 to a spring operated pedal member 20. The acceleratorpedal 48 is connected to the valve 40 and a spring operated throttlelever 54 by linkage 5B and 86, said linkage being urged to the right, topermit a closing of the throttle and to operate the valve 40, by aspring 88. In the off position of the parts, the spring returned pedal20 serves to operate the crank 26 to limit the throw of the throttle andvalve operating link members 50 and 86, so that the throttle 54 isclosed, under the action of its spring, without, however, operating thevalve 40 to effect a disengagement of the clutch. When it is desired toefiect a clutch disengaging operation of the valve 40, the driverdepresses the pedal 20 with his left foot, thus permitting theaccelerator 48 to be completely released under the action of the spring88 to operate the valve 4!]. The stop mechanism thus operates as a meansto cut in the operation of the clutch control valve.

In Figure 3, the mechanism of Figure 2 is adjusted to function as acut-out means whereby with depression of the pedal 20 by the left footof the driver the parts assume the position of the parts in Figure 2,and the operation of the control valve 40 by the throttle linkage 50 and86 to efiect a disengagement of the clutch is obviated. In order toobtain this result, the crank 90 is positioned to be rotatedcounterclockwise as distinguished from the clockwise rotation of thesame in the arrangement of Figure 2, and in the ofi position of theparts the valve 40 is operated by the return spring 88 to effect thedisengagement of the clutch.

The invention heretofore described is disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 645,103 filed November 30, 1932, this applicationconstituting a division thereof.

Although this invention has been described in connection with certainspecific embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible ofnumerous other applications that will readily occur to persons skilledin the art. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicatedby the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In an automotive vehicle provided with a clutch, a throttle and anaccelerator, linkage interconnecting the throttle and accelerator, powermeans for operating the clutch including a motor and a valve forcontrolling the operation of said motor, a foot operated member mountedin the floor board of the drivers compartment, and valve controllingmeans actuated by said member, for rendering said control valveinoperative to control the clutch engaging and disengaging operations ofsaid motor, said means including a spring normally biasing said footoperated member to a position to render said control valve inoperative,the parts being so constructed and arranged that upon depressing saidfoot operated member, said valve controlling means is actuated to thenmake possible an operation of the valve by the accelerator to controlthe operation of said motor.

VICTOR W. KLIESRATH.

